Knievel returning for ‘Above The Law’ jump at Texas Motor Speedway

Texas Motor Speedway officials have announced that Knievel, the 47-year old son of the late daredevil Evel Knievel, will attempt the “Kaptain Robbie Knievel: Above The Law” jump at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, June 5. The event will highlight the pre-race activities for the Firestone 550k IndyCar Series event.

Knievel will attempt to break his personal best by jumping 200-plus feet of City of Roanoke service vehicles.

TMS officials said that the “Kaptain Robbie Knievel: Above The Law” jump is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. CT, approximately 90 minutes prior to the start of the Firestone 550k, on a specially constructed ramp system that will be situated on the speedway’s frontstretch.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Motorcycle daredevil “Kaptain” Robbie Knievel jumps 21 Hummer H2 SUVs — a stunt named “The Great American Hummer Jump” Presented by Frac Tech Services — during pre-race activities for the IRL IndyCar Series Bombardier Learjet 550k on June 7, 2008 at Texas Motor Speedway. Knievel will return to TMS on June 5 for the “Above The Law” jump.

“We always try and provide our fans with the best pre-race entertainment available

and Robbie continues to be a huge fan favorite at Texas Motor Speedway,” Texas Motor

Speedway President Eddie Gossage said in a news release to the media. “If fans thought they were going to get plenty of drama from Indy cars running side by side at 225 miles per hour, we just upped the ante on the drama with Robbie performing a death-defying jump. Robbie and the IndyCar Series sure make for a great combination of exciting entertainment in one evening. We also appreciate the city of Roanoke stepping up and making their police vehicles available for a jump that is sure to generate a lot of publicity.”

The event will mark the third jump by Knievel at Texas Motor Speedway. Ironically, all of them have been paired with an IndyCar Series race weekend.

Knievel’s first jump at TMS occurred on Oct. 6, 2001, when he jumped the entire IndyCar Series starting field in a stunt called the “$10 Million Texas Indy Car Jump.”

On June 7, 2008, Knievel returned for the “Kaptain Robbie Knievel’s Great American Hummer Jump,” in which he jumped over 21 Hummer vehicles.

“It will be great to see my long-time friend Eddie (Gossage) again and those Texas Motor Speedway fans that have been so tremendously supportive of me for each one of my jumps there,” Knievel said in the news release. “I’m all about entertaining the fans and I plan to give them one hell of a show come June 5th at Texas Motor Speedway.”

TMS officials said that Knievel has been performing for more than 30 years and he has successfully completed more than 250 jumps, including 20 that resulted in world records.

Knievel’s career has been highlighted by the Caesars Palace Fountain jump in 1989, the “Death Jump Live” building-to-building stunt in 1999 and the Grand Canyon jump in 2000.

“The City of Roanoke is very excited to partner with Texas Motor Speedway to bring Kaptain Robbie Knievel back to TMS,” Roanoke Mayor Carl Gierisch said in the news release. “I was a fan of Evel Knievel as a child and continue to be amazed by Robbie Knievel’s ability to continue his father’s legacy. We will line up our fleet of Roanoke Police vehicles for the amazing jump in front of tens of thousands of fans. Roanoke is proud to have a great partnership with TMS. The City of Roanoke has had many amazing opportunities to work with TMS and bring people like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and John Cena to TMS for special productions. We are very excited to work with Texas Motor Speedway and Robbie Knievel for the June race.”

Texas Motor Speedway also announced that the track will offer fans the Firestone 550k “Two-Pack Special” – a pair of frontstretch tickets for $49 – that is good for both the Knievel jump and the Firestone 550k race at participating Firestone dealer outlets.

The Firestone 550k weekend will also include the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series WinStar World Casino 400k on Friday, June 4.

For ticket information for both races, call (817) 215-8500 or visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com.